Mr. President, I rise in support of the legislation we are about to vote on that will provide an additional $9.7 billion to the National Flood Insurance Program. Without these funds, the program would have run out of money next week…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the outset, let me thank you for your service during your time in Congress, and thank you for your remarks here this morning. I think it's important to set the record straight. Last night, many of us came to the…

Sometimes events occur that are so out of the ordinary, so unusual as to defy belief. Such is the decision of the Speaker last night not to permit this House to vote on relief aid for the three States and some other areas that were…

Last night when I came to the floor for the first time since I've been in this body, my heart was hurting. I understand politics, but this should not be about politics. This should be about leadership. The first thing I want to do is to…

The Republican do-nothing leadership has an opportunity to do something--something very important--today to help the more than 17 million Americans who were devastated by Hurricane Sandy, one of the worst storms in U.S. history, more than…

Just yesterday, Americans celebrated New Year's Day. They ushered in 2013. As we rang in the new year, the usual message of hope that accompanies the new year--any new year--rang hollow for millions of Americans because of actions taken at…

This kind of petty partisan posturing is absolutely disgraceful. It's an act of spiteful indifference that will go down in history as a low point in a low era. Shame on this House. This House acted quickly after Katrina, voting over $60…

Last night the Republican leadership reneged on their commitment to vote on aid for the families in the States that were devastated by Superstorm Sandy. We were told it was because Republicans just couldn't stomach any additional votes in…

As the only New York City member of the Appropriations Committee, what I saw last night is something that I hadn't seen before. Whenever a disaster hit any part of this country, we always got together and found the funds to deal with the…

I was just asking my friend, Joe Crowley, is there a legislative possibility that we could bring this to the floor. I think everybody has enough compassion for the Speaker after what he's been through with his own party trying to get some…

This is no profile in courage for me to be voting for this bill. It reminds me of the joke we use to have on Lennox Avenue, where someone stopped hitting you on the head with a hammer and you're supposed to say, ``Thank you so much for the…

I know there are many people watching us late this night that truly don't believe that the House of Representatives can turn their back on any Americans and any part of this great Nation. But, Mr. Speaker, maybe you could help us by…

Let me join my colleagues in my sadness that we are here at 11:30 on the 1st of January with time running out. We just had a historic vote, a bipartisan vote, something that people didn't think we could do here, but we did do that. And now…

The distinguished gentleman from Maryland said what had to be said, but I want to add that I've been in this House 20 years. We have seen droughts; we have seen storms; we have seen earthquakes; we have seen wildfires out west. This…

Tonight's action not to hold this vote on the supplemental is absolutely indefensible. There are thousands and thousands of people throughout Long Island, Rockaway, Staten Island and New Jersey and throughout the Northeast who are homeless…

Today we have an option. We are confronted with a bill that we can vote for or vote against. We can allow us to go over the ceiling, or we can try to come together and pass something that probably on both sides of the aisle no one agrees…

I truly feel betrayed this evening. I left this floor with an understanding that this bill was going to be brought to the floor. One of Congress' most basic responsibilities is to help families, communities, and businesses recover. Yet…

I'm sitting here in shock this evening. This is supposed to be the people's House. We are the United States House of Representatives. There are Americans that are suffering because of an act of nature. It is our obligation, not as…